Harold Pinter honoured by Cuban Council of State
Campaign News | Thursday, 13 May 2010
Lady Antonia Fraser receives medal in ceremony in London
Lady Antonia Fraser received a prestigious medal on Wednesday 12th May from the Cuban Council of State in recognition of her late husband Harold Pinter.
On receiving the medal she said
“It is with enormous pleasure that I accept the Medal of Friendship, conferred by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba to my late husband, Harold Pinter. I know what the Cuba Solidarity Campaign meant to him and how honoured he would have been by this award. It is wonderful to see so many of Harold’s and my friends here this evening. It could have brought back painful memories but tonight is so joyful.”
Harold Pinter, the British playwright and winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature, was posthumously awarded the medal in recognition of his outstanding commitment to the cause of international solidarity and friendship with the people of Cuba.
Many friends of Harold Pinter and of Cuba from the arts, actors, writers and musicians, were present at the ceremony.
The Cuban Ambassador HE René J. Mujica Cantelar upon making the presentation said
“Our gathering this evening pays homage to the politically and socially committed human being that Harold Pinter, the famed British literary and intellectual figure, also was, by recognising in particular one of the facets of his historical awareness, that is, the advocacy of solidarity with the Cuban people’s revolutionary journey for independence, self-determination and a just society; a sort of David vs. Goliath contemporary struggle which he understood to be?of vital importance to the cause of world justice and peace.”
Harold Pinter was a long standing Patron of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.
Rob Miller, Director of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign said
“Harold had been a long time friend of Cuba and was a Patron of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign for many years. He regularly signed letters and petitions in support of CSC campaigns. The last action he took for Cuba before his death was to inaugurate the 50th anniversary e-message where thousands of people in Britain joined him in wishing the Cuban people success, on and beyond, the 50th anniversary of their revolution.”
